1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly to an apparatus for managing, controlling, and/or viewing a plurality of host computers via a remote control device utilizing color coding.
2. Description of Related Art
In many applications, it is advantageous to interconnect a single computer to multiple computers. For example, a keyboard/video/mouse (“KVM”) switch is a device that is generally connected to multiple computers (“host computers”) in order to enable a single keyboard, video display monitor and mouse to control each of the connected computers. Similarly, there also exists an enhanced version called a keyboard/video/mouse/audio (“KVMA”) switch that includes the ability to enable a single set of speakers to be selectively routed to each of the connected computers. In this way, a user may have access to multiple host computers without having to deal with the clutter and space requirements of having separate keyboard, monitor, and mouse for each of the computers. When the user accesses a host computer connected to the KVM switch, video signals are routed from the computer, processed, and displayed on the single video monitor. Generally, in order to be able to access another host computer, the user must physically actuate a button or other mechanism on the KVM switch base. But requiring the user to physically access the KVM switch is adverse to the promotion of easy switching between host computers, particularly if the KVM switch base is bulky or the user has limited space, wherein the KVM switch base needs to be placed in an inconvenient, remote, or inaccessible location, such as on the floor behind the user's desk.
Recently, wireless KVM switches address this need by enabling the multiple host computers to be controlled through wireless connection to the KVM switch. This enables much of the routing of cables interconnecting the computers to the KVM switch to be eliminated. The ability to manage remote computers wirelessly from a single host computer is a key feature in the use of KVM switches that control a large number of host computers with one KVM switch, such as with server rack systems. Such wireless switched KVMs are commercially available utilizing IEEE 802.11x wireless protocols. However, even in consumer-type applications managing as few as two computers with one keyboard, mouse, video display monitor and set of speakers, the KVM switch base is still relatively large.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a KVM switch that includes a simple, compact remote switching device that can be placed on the user's desk, attached to a computer monitor, or even used from the palm of the user's hand while he or she sits across the room. The use of such a remote control switch, located away from the KVM switch base containing all the interconnection wiring and connectors, would allow for easy interaction with one or more host computers connected to the management device and allow for easy switching of the keyboard, mouse, audio output, and video output from all the computers connected to the management device. The remote switching device can be coupled to the KVM switch base using a single cable or it can be wirelessly coupled to the KVM switch base. There are a few commercially available KVM switches utilizing an infrared (“IR”) remote control switch; however, this technology is limited to a direct, straight line-of-sight connection between the IR remote control switch and the KVM switch base.
It is also desirable to provide a KVM switch that is very easy to use and set-up for users that are not very technically savvy. KVM switches by their nature have a large number of wires and cables to be interconnected to the output connectors of the computers to be managed and the KVM switch itself, particularly when the KVM switches have to manage and control a large number of host computers.